“You’ll git pretty lonesome, won’t you, Popsy?” Pap asked idly.
“Naw!” the old man snapped. “I’s gwine marry agin right away.”
“Who you done picked fer de gigglin’ bride, Popsy?” Pap asked with utter indifference.
“I done picked de widder Solly Skaggs,” Popsy proclaimed. “I’s gittin ole an’ blind an’ she’s big enough fer me to see as fur as my eyesight goes. By dis time nex’ year, she’ll be too fat to dance an’ us’ll bofe be of de same mind on dat. She needs some sottled husbunt to lead her outen de error of her ways. Excusin’ dat, she’s collected her insurance money an’ I ain’t got no real good objections to a little more dough. I needs it fer my ole age.”
He moved away leaving Pap Curtain gasping for breath, stupefied by utter amazement.
VI
“A CUSSIN’ CASE”
Half an hour later Skeeter and Figger met in the Hen-Scratch saloon to discuss the events of the evening.
“We shore knocked de skin offen Pap Curtain’s nose to-night, Figger,” Butts exulted. “Dat’s de way so keep on. We’ll show dat ole man dat he cain’t beat us at dis game.”
“Never no more fer me, Skeeter,” Figger said earnestly. “I got to repent an’ refawm an’ dodge brickbats. Atter you dances one time wid a ole sook-cow like Solly, ’tain’t no trouble to repent an’ refawm. But I’s shore much ableeged fer dis cigareet holder. I been needin’ one fer a long time.”
“You gimme dat cigareet holder back,” Skeeter snapped. “Us kin use it fer all de yuther prizes, an’ I proposes to git my money back by smokin’ it myself.”